Archer{3 s steady rest

ABSTRACT

An accessory for an archer be worn on the hand which is used when drawing the bow string of an archery bow. The device includes an arcuate shaped member adapted to fit a portion of the chin of a user when the draw string and arrow are drawn to fully extended position so as to provide a positive anchor which enables the archer to aim and shoot an arrow with great accuracy. The arcuate shaped member is mounted on the top of a rigid Ushaped member that has straps connecting the leg portions of the member for securing the accessory to the hand and to the wrist of a user. The U-shaped member embraces the rear portion of a user&#39;&#39;s forefinger, the palm, and the back of the hand.

United States Patent [191 Leidy 1 Apr. 29, 1975 1 ARCHERS STEADY REST [76] Inventor: Ivan P. Leidy, 478 Nimick St.,

Sharon, Pa. 16146 [22] Filed: Nov. 7, 1973 [21] Appl. N0.: 413,559

[52] US. Cl. 124/30 R; 124/23 R [51] Int. Cl. F41b 5/00 [58] Field of Search 124/1, 30 R, 35 A, 23 R, 124/24 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.996.059 8/1965 Vance 124/35 A 3,604,407 9/1971 Wilson 124/35 A Primary E.\'aminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant E.\'aminer-William R. Browne Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichael Williams 57 ABSTRACT An accessory for an archer be worn on the hand which is used when drawing the bow string of an archery bow. The device includes an arcuate shaped member adapted to fit a portion of the chin of a user when the draw string and arrow are drawn to fully extended position so as to provide a positive anchor which enables the archer to aim and shoot an arrow with great accuracy. The arcuate shaped member is mounted on the top of a rigid U-shaped member that has straps connecting the leg portions of the member for securing the accessory to the hand and to the wrist of a user. The U-shaped member embraces the rear portion of a users forefinger, the palm, and the back of the hand.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEDAPR291925 SHEET 1B? 2 PATENIEllAPRzsms SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG. 5.

FIG. 4.

ARCHERS STEADY REST BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY Included in the prior art are many accessories for use by archers and many are directed to bow string drawing and arrow releasing devices which engage either the bow string or the arrow. or both. Very few of these devices appear in use. particularly in competitive meets. and the reasons for this may be that they are of little help. or are contrary to rules of competitive shooting.

My improved accessory is adapted to be worn by the hand which pulls back the draw string and arrow. but has no connection with either. Therefore. the draw string and arrow are engaged in conventional manner by the fingers of the archer and accordingly. the improved accessory will meet all rules of competitive shooting. The device includes a member formed of rigid material and shaped to fit a portion of the archer's chin when the draw string and arrow have been pulled back a required amount to tension the bow. The shaped member. when engaged against the chin. provides a positive anchor point to hold the arrow steady so that it may be accurately sighted on the target.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings accompanying this description and forming a part of this application. there is shown. for purpose of illustration. an embodiment which my invention may assume. and in these drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view showing my improved accessory in use. the draw string of the bow and the arrow being fragmentarily shown.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view. showing the accessory attached to the archers hand.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the accessory. looking from another angle. and showing it removed from the archers hand.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the accessory. and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged. sectional view corresponding to the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The improved accessory shown in FIG. 1 is adapted for use by a right-handed archer. but it will be appreciated that the accessory may be constructed for use by a left-handed archer without any substantial structural changes.

The accessory is provided with means for supporting and connecting it to the hand of an archer. and in the disclosed embodiment such means comprises an inverted U-shaped member formed of thin. rigid material. such as metal or plastic. The member has a leg 11 adapted to lie crosswise of and within the palm of the hand. as seen in FIG. 2. and this leg may be covered with a protective material 12. such a rubber. cloth or the like to cushion the hand against forces developed when the draw string 14 and arrow 13 are pulled away from the how.

The other leg 15 of the member 10 is preferably wider than the leg 11. as best seen in FIG. 3. and is shaped so that it will conform to the back of the hand. preferably just behind the knuckles of the hand of the user. as best seen in FIG. 1. This leg is adpated to lie crosswise of the back of the hand and may also be covered with rubber. cloth or the like to protect the hand of the user. although no such covering is shown in the drawing.

- The member 10 could be formed asa closed loop so that no further means are required to secure it to the archer's hand. but since hands vary in size. it is preferable to form the member 10 as shown. and provide additional means to secure it to the hand. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. one end of a strap 16 may be secured to the lower end of the leg 11. as by a rivet 17. or the like. The opposite end of the strap 16 is metal-tipped. as seen at 18. to freely pass through an adjusting buckle 19. The buckle is carried at one end of a strap. the opposite end of which is connected by a rivet 21, or the like. to the upper part of the leg 15. As seen in FIG. 3. the strap 16 closes the bottom open end of the member 10 and when properly snugged in the buckle 19, firmly holds the member 10 to the hand. The legs 11 and 15 are connected by an integral bight portion 22 which permits flexing of the legs away from each othr to accommodate fleshy hands. or toward each other under the tightening influence of the strap 16 to accommodate slender hands.

To prevent the member from sliding forwardly of the hand. an intermediate portion of a strap 25 is connected to a lower portion of the leg 15 by a rivet 26. or the like. The strap has a buckle 27 at one end and a metal tip 28 at the other end. The strap 25 is crossed over the wrist of the archer. as seen in FIG. 2. and the tip 28 inserted through the buckle 27 and the strap pulled taut.

Connected to the bight 22 of the supporting member 10 in any suitable manner. such as by rivets 30. is a shaped member 31 which is formed of thin. rigid material. such as metal or plastic. The member 31 is shaped to comfortably fit against a side portion of the archer's chin. as seen in FIG. 1.

My improved accessory does not interfere with normal use of the bow and arrow since at no time does it engage either the bow string or the arrow. Therefore. a right-handed person may grasp the bow with his left hand. engage the nock of the arrow 13 on the bow string 14. and draw rearwardly on the string and arrow with the fingers of the right hand in customary manner to flex the bow. Normal rearward draw of the arrow and bow string will position the right hand in the vicinity of the right side of the archers face and it is a simple matter to place the chin rest 31 against the side of the chin. as shown in FIG. 1. This provides a firm anchor point which permits accurate sighting of the arrow and eliminates inaccuracies which heretofore were caused by reaction forces on the unsupported hand when the arrow and bow string were released.

I claim:

1. An archery accessory for use by an archer in shooting an arrow by use of a bow having a bow string. said accessory being adapted to be worn on that hand which pulls back and releases said bow string and arrow. and in use being free of connection to said bow string and arrow so that the fingers of the archers hand may cooperate with the bow string and arrow in conventional manner. said accessory comprising:

means for connecting the accessory to a archers hand. comprising a U-shaped member formed of thin. rigid material and providing a bight portion and a pair of legs. one leg being relatively narrow and adapted to fit crosswise and within the palm of a hand and the other leg being wider and shaped to fit crosswise of and over the back of a hand rearward of the knuckles, said bight portion being adapted to fit over the top of a hand.

a shaped member of thin. rigid material connected to said bight portion and extending upwardly therefrom. said shaped member being conformed to fit comfortably against a side portion of the chin of the archer.

a first strap connected to said one leg and a second strap connected to said other leg, said straps having buckle connection so that they may be drawn taut to underlie the underside ofa hand and firmly hold said accessory on a hand.

and a third strap having an intermediate portion secured to one of said legs. said third strap being adapted to be wrapped about the wrist of the archer and its free ends joined by a buckle connection.

2. An archery accessory for use by an archer in shooting an arrow by use of a bow having a bow string. said accessory being adapted to be worn on that hand which pulls back and releases said bow string and arrow and in use being free of connection to said bow string and arrow so that the fingers of the archers hand may cooperate with the bow string and arrow in conventional manner. said accessory comprising:

a rigid arcuate member providing an opening of sufficient size to pass all fingers of an archers hand and fit over the palm area of an archer's hand rearward of the knuckles, in the area of connection of a 4 user's thumb and palm. when a bow string is being pulled rearwardly,

said arcuate member having a top portion overlying the upper and rear portion of a forefinger of an ar chers hand when the latter is positioned to grasp and hold a bow string. and said arcuate member having laterally spaced side portions extending from opposite ends of said top portion and respectively lying alongside the palm and back of an archer's hand. means for attaching one of said side portions to a wrist of an archer,

and a rigid curved chin receiving member connected to and extending upwardly from said upper portion and shaped to comfortably fit against a chin por tion of an archers face when a bow string and arrow have been pulled back by an archers fingers which pass through said arcuate member, said chin member providing a positive anchor point for the archers hand to steady the same prior to release of the arrow.

3. The construction according to claim 2 wherein said arcuate member comprises U-shaped member formed of a thin strip, the bight of the U providing said upper portion and the legs of the U providing said side portions. and a strap connected across the free ends of said legs.

4. The construction according to claim 3 wherein said chin member is formed of thin material and is connected to said bight portion. 

1. An archery accessory for use by an archer in shooting an arrow by use of a bow having a bow string, said accessory being adapted to be worn on that hand which pulls back and releases said bow string and arrow, and in use being free of connection to said bow string and arrow so that the fingers of the archer''s hand may cooperate with the bow string and arrow in conventional manner, said accessory comprising: means for connecting the accessory to a archer''s hand, comprising a U-shaped member formed of thin, rigid material and providing a bight portion and a pair of legs, one leg being relatively narrow and adapted to fit crosswise and within the palm of a hand and the other leg being wider and shaped to fit crosswise of and over the back of a hand rearward of the knuckles, said bight portion being adapted to fit over the top of a hand, a shaped member of thin, rigid material connected to said bight portion and extending upwardly therefrom, said shaped member being conformed to fit comfortably against a side portion of the chin of the archer, a first strap connected to said one leg and a second strap connected to said other leg, said straps having buckle connection so tHat they may be drawn taut to underlie the underside of a hand and firmly hold said accessory on a hand, and a third strap having an intermediate portion secured to one of said legs, said third strap being adapted to be wrapped about the wrist of the archer and its free ends joined by a buckle connection.
 2. An archery accessory for use by an archer in shooting an arrow by use of a bow having a bow string, said accessory being adapted to be worn on that hand which pulls back and releases said bow string and arrow and in use being free of connection to said bow string and arrow so that the fingers of the archer''s hand may cooperate with the bow string and arrow in conventional manner, said accessory comprising: a rigid arcuate member providing an opening of sufficient size to pass all fingers of an archer''s hand and fit over the palm area of an archer''s hand rearward of the knuckles, in the area of connection of a user''s thumb and palm, when a bow string is being pulled rearwardly, said arcuate member having a top portion overlying the upper and rear portion of a forefinger of an archer''s hand when the latter is positioned to grasp and hold a bow string, and said arcuate member having laterally spaced side portions extending from opposite ends of said top portion and respectively lying alongside the palm and back of an archer''s hand, means for attaching one of said side portions to a wrist of an archer, and a rigid curved chin receiving member connected to and extending upwardly from said upper portion and shaped to comfortably fit against a chin portion of an archer''s face when a bow string and arrow have been pulled back by an archer''s fingers which pass through said arcuate member, said chin member providing a positive anchor point for the archer''s hand to steady the same prior to release of the arrow.
 3. The construction according to claim 2 wherein said arcuate member comprises U-shaped member formed of a thin strip, the bight of the U providing said upper portion and the legs of the U providing said side portions, and a strap connected across the free ends of said legs.
 4. The construction according to claim 3 wherein said chin member is formed of thin material and is connected to said bight portion. 